ABOUT US

Located in the historic Pike Place Market, Isadora’s has specialized in exquisite antique jewelry for 38 years. Our discriminating collection includes pieces from the early 1800’s through the 1950’s, without a reproduction to be found.
Our precious pieces are sent to North American Gem Lab for independent appraisals. We invite you to call our toll free number for applicable discounts. On many of our pieces, we are able to offer between 10-25% off of appraisal value.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Mad Men is set in the late 1950s early 1960s, initially at Sterling Cooper advertising agency on Madison Avenue in New York City. The focal point of the series is Don Draper, creative director at Sterling Cooper and the people in his life, both in and out of the office. As such, it regularly depicts the changing moods and social mores of 1960s America.

Recently I have been catching up on the T.V. series Mad Men. Not only does the series have a great plot structure but I sometimes will just get lost completely and the costuming and design of this fabulous show. I'm not one to have time or patience for T.V. but when every episode feels like and great short film I can't help it.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, so I decided to learn more about this holiday I’ve been celebrating for my entire life. It turns out Valentine’s day is a far more interesting holiday than I assumed it to be with a history dating back to 496 AD and a multitudes of traditions spanning the globe.

Early Victorian Steel Cut Heart & Arrow Brooch

Valentine, in times of yore, was a popular name and the name of several saints which is how the Valentine’s Day tradition began. It was originally a Catholic Saint day.

Edwardian Mystica Rosa Diamond & Pearl Pendnat Necklace

In the original tale Saint Valentine was a Christian martyr executed for refusing to convert to Roman paganism. Before his death he was said to have healed his jailor’s blind daughter.

The legend has grown over time, perhaps fueled by the more modern associations with the name Valentine. According to legend (and I must in good faith say the legend is very suspect), Roman Emperor Claudius II ordered the soldiers of his army to remain single as he believed they would thus be better soldiers. Priest Valentine however believed in love and performed secret marriage ceremonies for the emperor’s young soldiers. When he was found out he was jailed. Legend then holds that the night before he was executed he wrote a letter to the jailor’s daughter, signing it “From your Valentine”.

Circa 1840 Mt. Vesuvius Ash Cupid Brooch

It was in 1382, however, that Valentine’s Day truly came to be viewed as a romantic holiday. Geoffrey Chaucer wrote “For this was Saint Valentine’s Day when every bird cometh to choose his mate” in the Parlement of Foules.

Victorian Buckle Ring: Symbol of Love & Friendship

And it was in 1797 that Valentine’s Day came even closer to the holiday we celebrate today, as people began to send cards. These cards were generally hand written and quite romantic. In the 19th and 20th century, people more frequently began to send anonymous love letters, allowing them selves to say the unspoken on paper. They also exchanged candy, flowers and love tokens.

Beautiful Seed Pearl Brooch: Birds were often featured in antique love tokens

This tradition has of course continued to this day, with each country expressing its own variation. There is something quite beautiful about most places in the world choosing to celebrate love. Sometimes it is to celebrate romantic love, sometimes it is to celebrate the love of friends and sometimes it celebrates both.

Vintage Silver Heart Shaped Box

Because Valentine’s Day, at its best, is about expressing love for another persona and really what can be better than that. This can be romantic love, platonic love, filial love, and love of teacher. In fact teachers receive more Valentine’s Day cards than anyone else in America. And that is kind of beautiful too!

What Happened to the Clothing?

There was a collective grown among both homegrown vintage clothing aficionados and those on the national level when Isadora’s, a Seattle boutique specializing in Vintage Clothing and Antique Jewelry for the past thirty-eight years decided to close up shop on the vintage clothing part of the business in order to truly focus on the jewelry.
And don’t get me wrong, there were also cheers because in focusing on the jewelry, Isadora’s tripled their inventory of the most fantastic and delightful baubles from the last 150 years. But there were many that had an aching heart for the vintage clothing of yore. Well do not fear, owner Laura Dalesandro, with forty plus years buying experience, is teaming up with vintage clothing website Camellia to bring the most exquisite and exotic vintage clothing to the web.
Not only does owner, Laura, have her own hidden cache of vintage clothing (I’ve seen it and it is embarrassing to say clothing made me breathless but it made me breathless.) She also will recommence buying. So if you have a piece of beautiful vintage clothing that you are ready to part with and want it to go to someone who will truly appreciate it, please contact Laura Dalesandro, through Isadora’s at 1-888-472-3672 or e-mail Isadora’s at info@isadoras.com.
And if you are someone interested in buying vintage clothing or just looking at pretty pretty things, please continue to follow our blog or visit Camellia’s website.